For signal transmission between signal processing units that receive supply voltages of different voltage domains level-shifters are required. Supply voltages of different voltage domains are voltages that are related to different reference potentials. Level-shifters transfer signals provided by one of the processing circuits and lying within one voltage domain to signals lying in the other voltage domain, thereby enabling the signal to be processed by the other signal processing unit. In cases where there is a large voltage difference between the reference potentials of the different voltage domains high-voltage components are required in the level shifter. However, high-voltage components are expensive and difficult to integrate in an integrated circuit together with the signal processing unit.
For these and other reasons, there is a need for the present invention.